Method of transporting rails of relatively great length



March 5, 1929. J. WATTMANN 1,704,269

IBTHOD OP TRANSPORTI NG RAILS 0f RELATIVELY GREAT LENGTH Filed May 28, 1927 INVZNTOR ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 5, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN WATTMANN, or BERLIN, LANKWITZ, GERMANY.

METHOD OF it TRANSPORTING RAILS OF RELATIVELY GREAT LENGTH.

Application filed May 2 8, 1927, Serial No. 195,081, and in Germany June 3, 1926.

The invention relates to a novel method of transporting railway rails and the like of excessive lengths to the site of application of such rail", as, for example, in tunnels, on via- 5 ducts, raised railroad beds and similar loca tions, where it is diflicnlt or practically impossible to unite successive standard lengths oi" rails by electric Welding or similar mode of jointure. To this end, the invention comprises the mounting of rails of relatively r at lengths, as, for instance, one thousand 1 et, upon separate cars spaced at intervals, securing the rails against lateral movement and preferably against longitudinal movement with respect to the individual cars, and moving the cars to the site where the rails are to be applied.

The invention is especially applicable in the practice of electrically welding railway rails, where it is diilicult or impossible to oft'ect the weld of the rail in situ, which is usually the case when the rails are laid in tunnels, on viaducts, raised road beds or the like, the present method admitting of the as rails being welded together to form continuous lengths up to and including one thousand feet at some point remote from the site of application of the rails, and preferably in a factory or plant equipped to effect alumino-thermic welding or an equivalent ioiuture ct rails and the like, and transportthese relatively greatlengths of welded to the place where the latter are to be ind in position. I f ue mode of applying the invention is Ilated in the inwonu anying drawings, in .1

a ilan view of a curved section oi 1a: with three cars thereon and a mat lel'igth oi rail carried by the an end elevation thereof. Fig. 3 a fragmentary side elevation. Referring to the drawings, a indicate the rails 01 a railway track and Z) a rail of relatively great length, which is to be transported over the railway track. Disposed on the railway track at spaced intervals is a series of railway cars or trucks, each preferably comprising two pairs of longitudinal sills c, c

cmmected by transverse beams (Z, (Z to constitute a rigid framework. The car wheels are mounted upon short axles supported in journal bearings attached to the under sides of the longitudinal members a, 0. Connected to each of the transverse beams and pendent in the space between the side frames or sills 0 are brackets e, which are preferably recessed to receive the length of rail to be transported and to which said rail is rigidly secured against lateral movement, and preferably also against longitudinal movement by any suitable means, as, for example, a common form of clamp comprising arms pivoted intermediate their length, at 9, between the brackets e, c, the lower end of the arms engaging the rail and the upper ends of the arms being actuated by a double screw it. As indicated in the drawings, at least three separate cars are required to transport rails of the relatively great length indicated and, obviously, a large number of cars may be used where necessity or desirability therefor is apparent. By this particular arrangement of cars and suspension means for the rail to be transported, it will be seen that the series of cars and the rail mounted thereon and secured thereto against lateral movement and also against longitudinal movement, constitute a flexible vehicle, which will readily follow the curvature of the railroad track, as the cars are moved over the same, due to the inherent resiliency of the rail being carried.

The latter will bend readily to conform to the curvature of the track over which it is being transported and will immediately resume its normal straight shape, when the transporting cars enter upon a straight stretch oi track. Furthermore, the rail being transpm'ted constitutes the coupling between the several cars, so that the supporting cars and the long rail carried thereby may be readily moved over the trarl: as a flexible unit capable of adapting itself to various changes in the direction of the track. It has been successfully demonstrated that rails of the relatively great length indicated may be success- -lully and economically transport-ed without impairing the rail and without imposing ondue lateral stresses on the carsor the trackway su'l'licient to impair either.

Instead of suspending the rail to be transported beneath the series of cars carrying the. same and between the wheels, which arrangemeut was designed to reduce the chances of upsetting any of the cars by the lateral thrust of the supported rail upon encountering a curve, it has also been found entirely feasible to secure one or more lengths of rails of the order indicated upon ordinary fiat cars,

the ears being spaced at intervals on the track and the mils being secured to the floors; of the the ears, said mils follow the contour of the track over which the ears operate, by reneon of the flexibility and elasticity of the mile.

The inventien not only involves utility facilitating the Welding of the mile at locat tions especially equipped or this pnrpoee but involves elements of material economy in that it avoids the expense of transporting and maintaining the WGlClGl'S at the site wh ere the rails are to be applied.

What I claim is: l. The method of transporting rails o l relntlvely greet length, which (JUIHPL'LPS mount ing the some on it least three separate reil- Way ears, securing the rails to the ears against lateral movelnenh and moving the care to the site Where the mile are to he applied.

2. The method of transporting mile of relatively greet length which C(ElllplflfiGS 1nonnting the mine on at least three separate ruil- Way ear. securing the rails to the are qeinet lateral and longitudinal movement re lve to Smith ears, and mowing the cure to the site where the mile are to he applied.

In testimony whereof l at? m x F i.'"ilt1tlll'l. 

